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Every weekend, Asia Pacific Daily will provide you with a run-down of the latest hot news.
This week, the following hot news you should know:
Top 1 | Xi extends congratulations, best wishes to Hong Kong compatriots
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated Hong Kong compatriots and extended his best wishes on the occasion marking the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.
Speaking upon arrival at the West Kowloon high-speed rail station, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said he is very pleased to visit Hong Kong once again.
"Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. People of all ethnic groups across the country will join Hong Kong compatriots in celebrating this joyous event. I would like to extend my warm congratulations and best wishes to the compatriots of Hong Kong," said Xi.
Top 2 | Marcos sworn in as 17th Philippine president, vowing food sufficiency
Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos was sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines on Thursday, vowing to prioritize food sufficiency.
The 64-year-old son of former President Ferdinand Marcos wore a native Barong Tagalog formal shirt when he took the oath of office at the National Museum in Manila in the presence of his 92-year-old mother Imelda and other family members.
"The role of agriculture cries for the urgent attention that its neglect and misdirection now demands," Marcos, who appointed himself as agriculture minister, said after taking the oath.
Top 3 | G7 leaders discuss Russian oil price cap, agree on infrastructure plan
Moscow launched missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in the first such attack in weeks as the Group of Seven (G7) leaders discussed plans to cap the price of Russian oil at the group's annual meeting on Sunday.
At the start of the meeting in the Bavarian Alps, Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada had "really constructive" talks on a possible price cap on Russian oil, a German government source told Reuters.
The price cap scheme, promoted by Washington, is part of broader G7 discussions on how to further crank up the pressure on the Kremlin over its "special military operation" in Ukraine without stoking global inflationary pressures.
Top 4 | Xi inspects Wuhan, stresses China's self-reliance in science, technology
President Xi Jinping has stressed keeping the lifeline of science and technology firmly in China's own hands and making the country's development more independent, self-reliant and secure.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection in Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province, on Tuesday.
Top 5 | EU approves end to combustion engine sales by 2035
The 27 member states of the European Union (EU) announced early Wednesday the Commission's plan to ban the sale of vehicles with combustion engines by 2035 in Europe, in a bid to reduce CO2 emissions to zero.
At the request of a few countries, including Germany and Italy, all the member states also agreed to consider a possible green light in the future for the use of alternative technologies such as synthetic fuels or plug-in hybrids.
Top 6 | Biden meets with Scholz amid G7 summit
U.S. President Joe Biden met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday at the G7 summit, as the three-day gathering kicked off in the Bavarian Alps against the backdrop of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Biden thanked Scholz for his leadership in response to the Ukraine crisis by saying, "I want to compliment you on stepping up as you did when you became Chancellor."
"Putin's being counting on it from the beginning, that somehow NATO and the G7 would splinter, but we haven't and it's not going to," Biden added.
**Top 7 |**Nuclear talks with U.S. to resume soon, Iran and EU say
Iran's indirect talks with the United States on reviving the 2015 nuclear pact will resume soon, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said during a joint news conference with the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Tehran on Saturday.
"We are prepared to resume talks in the coming days. What is important for Iran is to fully receive the economic benefits of the 2015 accord," said Amirabdollahian, adding that he had held a "long but positive meeting" with Borrell.
Borrell said: "We are expected to resume talks in the coming days and break the impasse. It has been three months and we need to accelerate the work. I am very happy about the decision that has been made in Tehran and Washington."
Top 8 | EU aims to increase share of renewable energy to 40% by 2030
EU energy ministers agreed on Monday to increase the share of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to 40 percent in the bloc's overall energy mix by 2030.
The energy ministers meeting in Luxembourg also agreed to reduce the EU's total energy consumption by at least 9 percent by 2030 as compared to the 2020 figure.
The agreement will now be negotiated with the European Parliament, which has yet to finalize its position on the target.
Top 9 | Hong Kong Police Force to officially perform Chinese-style foot drills from July 1
The Hong Kong Police Force will officially perform Chinese-style foot drills starting from July 1. For many, it's considered a symbolic change in ideology and removal of colonial characteristics.
"Turning right!" Instead of calling out the command in English or Cantonese, the command has switched to Mandarin, or Putonghua, which is mostly used on the Chinese mainland. The police force is leaving Hong Kong-style foot drills behind and adapting to perform foot drills in the style of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The Flag Party formed by Hong Kong Police College also adopted Chinese-style flag raising in events such as the anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Top 10 | Ecuador’s President Lasso willing to engage in talks to end protests
Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso said in televised remarks on Friday that he is willing to engage in talks on ending the protests that have paralyzed Quito and other parts of the country for almost two weeks.
Lasso also accused the Indigenous leaders of the demonstrations of wanting to “overthrow the government.” Thousands of protesters say they are calling for economic and social policy change, and seek gasoline and agriculture price controls and a larger education budget from Lasso’s administration.
The protests have left six people dead and dozens injured.On Friday the International Monetary Fund approved the release of $1 billion in funding for Ecuador, meant to bolster Ecuador’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, restore fiscal sustainability and reduce public debt.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
